28th August, 2012 Global Breastfeeding Week is celebrated each year in August around the world. This year, it is being celebrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Aug 27 to Sept 1, 2012 by UNICEF in collaboration with Dept. of Health & other implementing partners. Prime Foundation, Peshawar Medical College is partnering its commemoration in the districts of Dera Ismail Khan, Nowshera and Peshawar.

At Dera Ismail Khan, an inaugural of the week was held at BHU Shor Kot where Prime Foundation with the sponsorship of IDRF Canada is running a project for community based management of acute malnutrition in six union councils of the district to provide nutritional rehab to poverty and disaster afflicted women and children. Dr Muhammad Ashiq Saleem, EDO Health Dera Ismail Khan in his inaugural address stressed upon the audience that Breastfeeding was central to health of not only the children but also women who as a result have lesser chances of Breast Cancer as compared to those who don’t breastfeed their children.

On subsequent day, a health education session was held at Prime IDRF Vocational Training Centre Nowshera with the girl vocational students and their female trainers. Dr Saeed Anwar, Director Project Support Unit of Prime Foundation told the audience that what we are talking about this day is not new for us as Muslims at all. Holy Qur’an stresses upon mothers to breastfeed their children up to the age of two years. As such in Islam it is their birth right which must not be denied to them at any cost. Breastfeeding is of paramount importance in creating bond between the mother and her child as well as health of both of them. Researches in various parts of the world inform us that children who are breastfed have lesser episodes of diarrhea and infectious diseases with better performances at school and low frequency of mental health problems. He further stressed that there is a need to educate mothers that their first breastfeed (colostrums) is rich in antibodies that confer immunity to the newborn against various deadly infections and must not be wasted in the wrong belief as spilt milk. Up to six months of age infants must receive mothers` milk only. After six months age they must be given additional food items along with mothers` milk starting with soft followed by semisolid and solid diets.

The students and trainers at the vocational centre were urged to spread the word to others around them in the families and communities. Informational material about breastfeeding was distributed among the participants that stressed discouraging suckling of synthetic nipples, artificial feeds and animals` milk. Posters bearing information about Breastfeeding Ordinance of the Government of Pakistan was also part of the package that talks about discouraging promotion and sale of those items.